Pressure grows for Swalwell to exit governors race, criminal inquiry launched

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SACRAMENTO — The fallout over allegations against Rep.Eric Swalwell grew Saturday as his fellow gubernatorial candidates found themselves in a revamped race and Democrats faced an uncomfortable test on how to respond to the accusations of sexual misconduct against the congressman.Within hours of the accusations against Swalwell being made public, the Northern California congressman’s campaign began to unravel and a chorus of top Democrats urged him to drop out.

Staff members resigned, his fundraising website went offline and allies moved quickly to distance themselves from a candidate who had been gaining momentum as a front-runner in the race to lead the Golden State.The repercussions extended beyond Swalwell’s campaign for governor.The Manhattan district attorney’s office opened an investigation into sexual assault allegations against Swalwell by a former staffer and issued a statement Saturday that urged “survivors and anyone with knowledge of these allegations to contact our Special Victims Division.” A spokesperson for the Alameda County district attorney’s office on Saturday said the office was in the process of evaluating “whether any alleged criminal conduct occurred” in the Bay Area agency’s jurisdiction.

Rep.Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) posted a video on X saying that she plans to force a House vote next week to expel Swalwell.Swalwell has denied the allegations, calling them “flat [out] false.”The upheaval has created an opening for lesser-known contenders to gain traction just as voters are beginning to turn their attention to the race — a spotlight now intensified by the controversy.The speed and severity of the response underscores how quickly political support can erode — and reflects a broader shift in how such allegations are handled in the post-#MeToo era, which has been intensified by the scrutiny surrounding the late financier and...